Samuel e



s. E. DOANE I v ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILEDAPR. 24, I914.

1 1 94,281 Patented A11 8, 1916.

Witnesses: Inventor:

V Samuel E.Do 1ne, gm

His Jlttowbe g.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL E. DOANE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRICCOMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF 'NEW YORK.

ELI]C'IRIC-CIRCUIT-GONTROLLING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. DOANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Circuit-ControllingDevices, of which the following is a specification. I My inventionrelates to devices for use in electric lighting circuits for the purposeof deterring the consumer from using more than a fixed amount ofcurrent. Devices of this character are especially adapted for use incases where a lighting consumer pays a flat rate. 'It is. preferablethat, when the consumer exceeds the specified amount of current, thelamps in the circuit be caused to flicker, thus producing a disagreeablecondition'which the consumer will wish to immediately remove bycutting'out the extra lamps. Numerous devices have been proposed forinterrupting the lighting circuit for a considerable per10d upon theinsertion of extra lamps.- thus produced is not so distinctive as thatcreated by the flickering of the lamps, as the consumer is apt toattribute the extinguishing of the lamps to a failure in the supplycircuit. Moreover, such devices have the disadvantage that theiroperation leaves the house in darkness One object of my invention is toprovide a device of the above-stated character which will cause thelamps in the circuit to flicker decidedly upon the insertion of extralamps.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device, which, during thenormal operation of the circuit, will have substantially no effecttherein.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device which willbe compact, durable, and the cost of which will be low compared to thatof other devices of this general character which have been hereto foreproposed. It is furthermore an object of my invention to provide adevice which may bev conveniently inserted in a lighting. circuit and vthe parts of which will be practically inaccessible to the consumer, soas to avoid his tampering with them.-

, My device for acc mp i g the a Specification of Letters Patent.

However, the condition' that the device ma same current conditlons,means are provided whereby the reengagement of the contacts does notoccurbefore the returnof the arma I socket.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed April 24, 1914. Serial No. 834,259.

they are separated upon an abnormal flow of current in the circuit.However, means are also provided whereby when the said contacts areseparated they are always biased to reengage. The separation of thecontacts is achleved by means of an electromagnetic device, such as asolenoid, whichis connected in the circuit so as to be responsive tochanges in the current flowing therein. Controlled by the said device isan armature which is adapted to be moved rapidly by the electromagneticdevice upon the fiow of an abnormal current in the lighting circuit. Thepath of movementof the armature is so disposed that the armature willstrike a hammer blow against means connected with the contacts so as tocause them to quickly separate. In order' that there may be a decidedflicker, means are provided whereby the reengagement of the c0ntacts,

is somewhat retarded. Moreover, in order always act under the ture tonormal position.

Another feature which I prefer to have present in my device is meanswherebythe acts to hold the conelectromagnetic device I tacts firmlytogether during the normal operation'of the circuit. The breaking of thecircuit will cause more or less arcing between the contacts. In order toreduce this a magnetic field is produced whlch/is parts of the deviceare preferably incased soas to prevent tampering therewith by theconsumer. In order to prevent corrosion of veniently insertible in anelectriccircuit, it

.is preferred to provide the casing with a well known screw base so thatit canbe inser'ted in the ordinary incandescent lamp suit-' ablydisposed to blow out such arcs. The

My invention will be more clearly understood by referring to theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of adevice embodying said invention inserted in a partially shown electriccircuit. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device on a large scale withvparts thereof shown in vertical section.

Referring to the drawing, 10 is a solenoid which is supported by a tube11, within the bulb 12. The tube 11 has projecting from each end thereofthe centering straps 13. Mounted on top of the solenoid and separatedtherefrom and from each other by insulation 14, are stationary contacts15, 16. The leading-in wire 17 is electrically connected to the windingof the solenoid, While the leading-in wire-18 is electrically connectedwith the stationary contact 15. Normally engaging the stationarycontacts are movable contacts 19 and 20. A conductor 21 is rigidlyconnected to each of the movable contacts. Extending into the tube 11and fitting therewith rather closely, is an abutment 22, which isattached to the bottom of the conductor 21. The member 22 is pref-'erably composed of ironor other magnetic material, so that a pull isexerted u on this member by the solenoid 10, .thus holding the movablecontacts firmly in engagement with the stationary contact. Means, suchas the straps 23, composed of iron or other magnetic material, arepreferably provided for reducing the reluctance of the magnetic field. Ahorizontally extending member 24, composed of similar material, iscarried by the conductor 21 in such position that a strong magneticfield is maintained between the ends of the straps 23 in the plane ofengagement of the contacts. This constitutes a magnetic blow-out for thesparks produced upon the separation of the said contacts. The tube 11 isslotted above the solenoid 10 at 25 to allow the upward movement of theconductor 21, carrying the movable contacts and other attached parts.This slot extends to the stop 26, which limits this upward movement.Loosely engaginge the sides of the lower portion of the tu 11 is a core27, which is of iron or other magnetic material and which rests upon thebottom 28 of said tube. This core is of such weight that upon thepassage of an abnormal current in the; solenoid 10 it is moved rapidlyand strikes against the abutment 22. The bottom 28 of the tube 11 isrecessed at 29 to form a seat for the valve 30, which controls theopening 31. The leads 17 and 18 are connected to the screw base 32 ofthe type well known in connection with incandescent lamps. The devicemay be in- I serted in a socket 33, which is connected in series 34, 35of a lighting circuit. The bulb 12 may be filled with nitrogen or othergas which will protect the parts from corrosion in any way.

The above described device is calibrated for the current requisite for acertain number of lamps. During the normal operation of the lightingcircuit the device has no effect. However, upon an abnormal increase inthe current, caused, for instance, by the insertion of the extra lamp orlamps, the core 27 will be drawn rapidly upward by the solenoid 10 andwill strike the abutment 22 a hammer blow. The lighting circuit will bequickly broken by the consequent rise of the movable contacts andattached parts. This upward movement will be limited by the stop 26.During the rise of the core 27 the partial vacuum created will cause thevalve 30 to unseat and there will be a redistribution of the gas toequalize the pressure. The breaking of the circuit will denergize thesolenoid and cause the core to drop. The movable contacts andthe'attached parts, including the abutment 22, will also drop after thestop 26 is encountered. However, the inertia of the parts and thedistances through which they move are so fixed that the core 27 reachesthe bottom of the tube 11 substantially simultaneously with the makingof the circuit. An important factor also in securing this result is therelatively tighter fit of the abutment 22 than the core 27 in the tube11, which causes the former to settle more slowly. The seating of thevalve 30 causes the abutment 22 to compress the gas in the tube and thisretards the descent of this member and also of the attached movablecontacts. An appreciable interval is thereby caused between the breakingand making of the circuit and a decided flicker of the lamps istherefore produced. The pull exerted upon the abutment 22 by thesolenoid holds the movable contacts firmly in engagement with thestationary contacts during the normal operation of the circuit. Upon thebreaking of the circuit the are produced between the movable contactsand the stationary contacts is quickly extinguished bythe magnetic fieldwhich exists at the time through the member 24 and between the endsthereof and the ends of the straps 23.

Various changes and modifications of the above described device willreadily occur to those skilled in the art and are to be considered ascoming within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as new 'and desire to secure by? Letters Patent of theUnited States, 1s:

1. In a circuit controlling device, contacts normally engaging eachother, an electromagnetic device and an armature mounted so as to bemoved by said device upon the passage of an abnormal current through thelatter, means disposed so as to be struck by said armature during saidmovement for causing the said contacts to be quickly separated, meansindependent of said armature .for subsequently causing said contact toreengage and means for causing the rengagement movement to be somewhatslower than the previous separation movement.

2. In a circuit controlling device, contacts normally engaging eachother, means whereby said contacts when separated are always biased torengage, an electromagnetic device and an armature adapted to be movedthereby upon the passage therethrough of an abnormal current, meansdisposed so as to be struck by said armature during its movement forcausing the said contacts to be quickly separated, and means forretarding the reengagement of said contacts,

3. In a circuit controlling device, con tacts normally engaging eachother, means whereby said contacts when separated are always biased toreengage, an electromagnetic device and an armature adapted to be movedthereby uponthe passage therethrough of an abnormal current, meansdisposed so as to be struck by said armature during its movement forcausing the said contacts to be quickly separated and means forretarding the rengagement of said contacts at least until the return ofsaid armature to its normal position.

4. In a circuit controlling device, contacts normally engaging eachother, means whereby said contacts when separated are always biased toreengage, an electromagnetic deviceand an armature adapted to be movedthereby upon the passage therethrough of an abnormal current, meansdisposed so as'to be struckby said armature during its movement forcausing the said contacts to be quickly separated and means forpreventing the reengagement of said contacts before the return of thesaid armature to its normal position,

5. In a circuit controlling device, a stationary contact, a movablecontact normally engaging therewith, means whereby said movable contact.is continually biased to reengage said stationary contactupon'separation thereform, an electromagnetic device and an armaturemounted so as to be moved thereby upon the passage of an abnormalcurrent therethrough, means disposed so as to be struck by armatureduring its movement and for causing said movable contact to be quicklyseparated from said stationary contact, and means for slightlyretardingthe return movement of said movable contact.

6. In a current controlling device, a solenoid havingfa boretherethrough, a loosely supported core adapted to be drawn into saidhere upon the passage of an abnormal current in said solenoid, a pair ofstationary I contacts mounted above and upon opposite sides of saidbore, a pair of movable contacts disposed above said stationary contactsand normally engaging therewith, means connecting said movable contactand disposed so as to be struck by said core during its movement toquickly raise said movable contacts, and means for somewhat retardingthe descent of the latter. 8. In a current controlling device, asolenoid having a bore therethrough, a casing for said bore extendingsomewhat below the same, a core normally loosely supported upon thebottom of said casing and adapted to be raised upon the passage of anabnormal current in said solenoid, a pair of stationary contacts mountedabove and upon opposite sides of said bore, a pair of movable contactsdisposed above said stationary contacts and normally engaging therewith,means connecting said movable contacts and disposed so as to be struckby said core during its movement to quickly raise said movable contacts,and' means for somewhat retarding the descent of the latter.

9. In a current controlling device, a solenoid having a boretherethrough, a casing for said bore extending somewhat below the same,a core normally loosely supported upon the bottom of said casing andadapted to be raised upon the passage of an-abnormal current in saidsolenoid, a pair of iationary contacts mounted above and upon oppositesides of said bore, a palr of movable contacts disposed above saidstationary contacts and normally engaging therewith, means connectingsaid movable contacts and disposed so as to be struck by said core dur-'ing its movement to quickly raise said movable contacts, and means forpreventing the reengagement of said contacts before the return of thesaid core to its normal position.

10. In a current controlling device, a solenoid having a boretherethrough, a loosely supported core adapted to be drawn into saidbore upon the passage of an abnormal I current in said solenoid, astationary contact mounted above said solenoid, a movable contact abovesaid stationary contact and normally engaging therewith, means wherebysaid contacts when separated are always In witness whereof, I havehereunto set biased to rengage, means disposed'in line my hand this 22nddayof April, 1914. with said bore so as to be struck by said core duringits movement for quickly rais- SAMUEL E. DOANE. 5 ing said movablecontact, and means for Witnesses:

guiding and limiting the upward movement J. E. HAWLEY,

'of said movable contact. J. H. ANDERSON.

